Ernie! is a heartfelt tribute to Spireites legend Ernie Moss, the club’s record goalscorer.
Ernie earned his place in footballing folklore for his phenomenal longevity, netting 192 times for the Spireites across three separate spells. Popular at every club he graced, Ernie was loved by fans and colleagues alike, and after hanging up his boots he enjoyed time as a manager.
Tragically, having battled countless tough defenders in his playing days, Ernie found himself battling Pick’s disease, a form of dementia that robbed him of the pleasures of retirement. In an ironic twist of fate, it is believed Ernie’s neurological disorder was caused by his footballing speciality – heading a ball with accuracy and power.
Fans, family and fellow players help tell the tale of a footballer who enriched his profession with passion and dedication.
This is a story of skill and success, heartbreak and honesty, football and family. Read and find out about:
- Behind the scenes: Previously unknown stories about managerial decisions, dressing-room conversations, jokes and transfer deals
- Peers and pals: Personal insights from Ernie’s contemporaries who held him in high esteem – from the likes of Roy McFarland, Neil Warnock, Mark Bright, John Duncan and others
- Winning and losing: Accounts of the highs and lows of a professional footballer’s career and ventures into non-league management (it’s not all glamour!)
- One of their own: Ernie Moss’s background as an ordinary working-class lad making his way in professional football
- Triumph and tragedy: The devastating illness that hit Ernie Moss and his family
- Shutting up shop: Ernie’s amusing exploits as a businessman: his venture into owning a sports shop with former England cricketer Geoff Miller
- Ernie Moss the influencer: Recollections from fans far and wide who remember Ernie’s goals and his influence on their footballing outlook – he shaped a generation of fans
- Almost another world: A glimpse into a bygone era when pre-Premiership football was about so much more than money
The hardcover book, which costs £16.99, has been written by Stephen Poxon, a freelance writer engaged in a range of writing projects. This is his first venture into football writing. He is a fan of Manchester City, Hartlepool United, Billingham Synthonia and St Albans City. He once failed a trial with Burnley, sitting alongside Trevor Steven in the changing room (Trevor Steven went on to play for England; Stephen went home).
Stephen will be the special guest at the next Senior Spireites lunch on Monday, July 31. In conversation with Nick Johnson, he will talk about the process of writing the book.
To book your place(s) at the Senior Spireites lunch, please click on the following link: https://tickets.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/en-GB/categories/Events
